Air America: how close to the end is it?

[jgraz]

I'm hearing a lot of troubling subtext from the hosts, mostly implying that Air America is going to be shutting down within weeks, if not days. Mike Malloy just said that from what he's been hearing, his former network has about three weeks left. Now, this was in the middle of a rant about what a bunch of shitheads AAR management is, so take that with a grain of salt.

What are other people hearing?

[Eric J in MN]

1. Al Franken said yesterday morning that

...the end may be near for Air America.

Either it will be bought soon, or shut down soon, he implied.

He's going on a USO tour on December 8, and he doesn't know if Air America will still exist when he returns.

[still_one]

2. What I am hearing is that they have several pending offers

In fact the bankrupcy judge allowed an extension because of that. They are NOT going away

[Eric J in MN]

5. I hope they don't get bought by a right-wing company...

...which stops the hosts from criticizing Bush.

[still_one]

6. that will not happen

[Nick Fallon]

47. Unless they are really desperate and losing more money.

Word has it that it might be debate only network.

[NYCGirl]

49. Huh? Elaborate. NT

[Nick Fallon]

50. People do swallow pride

no matter how bitter it is. I work at a radio station, and we were talking about AAR. Stations production manager had heard a rumor that some unknown investors is taking interest in buying out AAR and changing the format from progressive to debate (both liberal and conservative). Just a rumor so take it for what you will.

[NYCGirl]

53. That sounds quite silly. NT

[sandyd921]

58. That would result in a massive decline in current listeners.

What serious buyer would contemplate a format change that carried with it such enormous losses? :shrug:

[newyawker99]

57. Hi Nick Fallon!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[NYCGirl]

9. Well then it wouldn't be Air America any more, would it?

I'd venture a very good guess that the buyers who are interested in buying Air America are interested in the concept of the network.

[Heewack]

3. Who knows?

It has lasted a lot longer than I thought it would have. It is not market viable, and eventually the money will run out. You can't keep paying stations to run your programming with no influx of advertising revenue to sustain it.

[Eric J in MN]

8. If they go off the air soon, they will have accomplished three things.

1) Provided information and entertainment.

2) Helped the Democrats take back Congress.

3) Made famous hosts who can continue broadcasting with other companies.

[Heewack]

16. Number 3 most definitely.

I think they helped introduce an alternative to the corrupt machine that is right wing radio.

[rocktivity]

34. Your Number 2 is the reason why I DON'T believe AirAm's not dead yet

(Air America)...(h)elped the Democrats take back Congress...

How could Election '06 have NOT given AirAm more bargaining power? Surely the buyers have noticed that the right wing media's ratings have been declining steadily. More to the point, a Dem Congress (not to mention a Dem president in '08) might be able to reinstate the fairness doctrine and can definitely issue subpoenas if there's reason to believe that competitors and advertisers are conspiring to keep them off the air.

:headbang:
rocknation

[NYCGirl]

4. Here's the latest news:

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/tvstations/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003410426

A court has given Air America Radio another week to find a buyer for the New York City-based liberal talk network, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month. The original deadline for AAR to line up a buyer was Nov. 22, but AAR’s lender informally agreed to extend the deadline by one week.

Tracy Klestadt, a lawyer for AAR told a bankruptcy hearing Monday that the company was in "advanced negotiations with a few parties" about a sale, and that AAR was expected to provide more definitive news on a deal within a week, an AAR spokesperson confirmed.

Air America Radio -- home to talk personalities Al Franken and Randi Rhodes -- has remained on the air during the financial restructuring. Klestadt declined to name any of the network's potential buyers and an AAR spokeperson declined to offer any additional comment.

[DaveJ]

41. I wonder if it was their blacklist

I'm one of the biggest critics of amoral corporations but their advertiser blacklist never made a lot of sense to me. First of all I think all corporations have a touch of evil in them, so I'm not sure how they came up with the list. Moreover their blacklist does nothing to fix the problem, especially when the owner of the list goes under.

Edit: I meant to respond to the OP. Not sure anyone will see this here.

[LTR]

55. The 'blacklist' was much ado about nothing

Many in the radio industry know that 'blacklists' exist for many talk radio formats. Rush has one, and so did Howard Stern. Many advertisers tend to avoid polarizing or controversial programming. Others shun talk radio altogether (like the US Navy, which doesn't see talk radio as a popular format among the teenage listeners they're targeting).

Some companies, such as REI and Office Depot, do indeed advertise on AAR affiliates.

The more I thought about it, and after seeing the exact memo, the more I realized that the memo was really no big deal. Though there are a few companies on it that seem to boycott liberal radio and advertise on conservative shows.

I wrote about it at my blog:

http://ltradio.blogspot.com/2006/11/update-more-advertisers-respond-to-aar.html

[Graybeard]

7. Here inNYC our AAR station...

...plays re-broadcasts on week-ends 12mid - 5AM (Seder, Randi,
Maddow, etc. ). This week-end there was NOT ONE paid
commercial on all night long.    Sad. 

[NYCGirl]

10. Well, there's shitloads of ads on during the day! NT

[still_one]

11. same in Northern Califronia OTA, and I also hear ads on XM also

They will come out of this

[NYCGirl]

22. According to the WWRL website, they have one hour of Peter Werbe, then

Gospel stuff until about 7:30 am on Sunday. They play rebroadcasts on weekend overnight?

http://www.wwrl1600.com/programming_schedule.asp?day=7

[clbuck]

12. Randi Rhodes is not going anywhere

No matter what happens with Air America, she'll likely be picked up by another syndicator. She has a proven track record, and a big national following.

And Thom Hartmann is independently operated, with Air America just doing the syndication of his show, so he's not going away, either.

Regarding Sam Seder, and Rachel Maddow, their futures may be a bit more in question, but I think they've proven themselves, too.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

15. i'd hate to lose sam

he's my personal favorite of the whole bunch

and where else can i get my david cross fix when driving?

[Eric J in MN]

18. Sam Seder is well-suited for TV.

He's better looking than most radio hosts, and he used to star in a sitcom ("The Show.")

If AAR folds,then he and Janeane Garofalo should try to bring back "The Majority Report" as a TV show.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

24. msnbc could replace the failure that is tucker

get olbermann's producer on board

[jgraz]

36. Excellent Idea!

[orleans]

42. what a great idea. a revised version of snl's weekend update

with humor and major intelligence. send this idea to cnn headline news so that they can dump that fucking nancy grace and glenn beck. i haven't watched headline news since that "moran" showed up. (i never watched grace either, but now the two of them have a monopoly on that station.)

or they could go on msnbc so we could dump tucker the "libertarian" (sure he is...)

[Pryderi]

31. .

[Strelnikov_]

13. Not Much Money In Speaking Truth To Power, When Power Holds The Juice

Need a new model . . . the NPR user supported model.

[JackBeck]

17. I'm sure all the $225 million in McDonald's money has helped NPR as well.

Just saying.

http://www.worldmagblog.com/blog/archives/005623.html

[Eric J in MN]

21. AAR tried asking for donations.

I'm guessing they stopped because they weren't getting a lot.

[Strelnikov_]

38. What I Am Thinking Of Is A Non-Profit

Repost of a previous screed regarding commercial progressive radio.

. . .

Why people expect power to support those talking truth to power is beyond me.

There is a ready market of over 40% of the populace in even the reddest of areas that are not currently served by political talk radio. What every business model requires, a ready-made market.

Problem is, the money boys (advertisers, station owners) are from the other side of the political divide, and most apparently would prefer to lose money. Even worse, they are now apparently buying up AAR affiliates with good numbers in order to push them off the air. No station, no problem.

So much for the free market.

Instead of trying to ‘fight the last war’, that is, model progressive talk radio after Reich-Wing radio, a different (and not really innovative), approach is needed.

This approach is . . . . use the NPR model.

In larger, left leaning cities, commercial Progressive radio will be viable due to the critical mass of advertisers. In smaller, or redder, markets, where most of the advertisers are prejudiced, funding would come from the ‘Corporation For Progressive Radio’ to offset losses.

As Liberals/Progressives, we would need to donate $100/200 a year to the corporation (I used to donate this much to NPR). If 1/6 of Kerry voters donated $100/yr., $1 B a year could be raised.

My belief is that until those in the Red areas (Phoenix, Missoula, Atlanta, etc. etc.) are provided access to an alternative to Reich-Wing propaganda radio, Progressive politicians will make limited inroads. Some discount the effect of Reich-Wing propaganda radio on the political shift, and dumbing down, of the electorate, particularly the ‘working class’. I do not. Radio is low cost (for the consumer), convenient, and pervasive among the ‘working class’.

One other change is that the on-air ‘personalities’ would need to accept that they are part of a movement, and park their ego, and need for $1 M/yr paychecks, at the door.

My experience with all cities, and particularly ‘Red’ cities (St. Louis, Kansas City, Denver, Des Moines, Albuquerque), is that the older/university neighborhoods are ‘Blue’, surrounded by ‘Red’ suburbs which are the enclaves of the middle and ‘working’ classes. That is, the part of the electorate that has been consistently voting against their best interest. Therefore, the primary strategy would be to ‘serve’ these areas. The ‘Blue’ would provide a critical mass of funds, with the CPR providing funds to keep the enterprise ‘just in the black’.

A secondary strategy would be a salient into smaller markets with larger universities (Columbia, MO, Springfield,. MO, Iowa City/Cedar Rapids, IA, Fort Collins, CO) and therefore a younger demographic. The dynamic in these smaller cities would be similar to the larger cities, with the relatively large progressive base proving the revenue to operate nearly self-sufficient.

A third, and probably most important, strategy, will be an air-drops into (typically ‘Red’) smaller cities that are rural regional centers (Quincy, IL, Topeka, KS, Waterloo, IA, Quad Cities, IA). These operations would probably require the most funds from the CPR.

Parallel to all of the above, ownership of stations should be the priority, or the sorry situation in Missoula and Phoenix will simply continue. With an adequately funded CPR, when a station comes up for sale, they would be ready. On-line funding drives could even be effected to raise funds to outbid the Christo/Corporatist oligarchy.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

14. The shows were popular enough-but

it was bad finacial management by that boob from day one that put them in a whole they can't climb out of

had it not been for that, they'd be sailing smoothly by now, as the shows have a sizeable following

the ad blackout by abc doesn't help either

[jgraz]

19. That's sad -- I wonder if Nova M will grab any shows

:cry:

[Bobbie Jo]

20. Job for Carville?

Perhaps he could get out there and hustle up some advertisers....definately a possible win/win here.

[NYCGirl]

23. He can't even talk so that anyone could understand him. Why would you

want him on radio?

[Bobbie Jo]

25. forgot to add....

As a salesman.....he always struck me as the type. He needs to be distracted away from any campaign business.

Maybe I was thinking of the used car variety.....

[NYCGirl]

26. Oh. But he already has a job being an asshole on CNN. Probably pays better.

Edited to add: Maybe Harold Ford can become an ad salesman. Carville seems to want him to have a job.

[JackBeck]

27. Bad idea.

I guess there's a reason why he's still not a full time participant on CNN. Maybe he couldn't rile up the advertiser revenue. I think he may have a gig on XM, but as far as I see it, he needs to take a vacation and regroup.

[MzNov]

28. Hey jgraz, what do you mean rant, and take it with a grain of salt??

I was there. Mike Malloy probably was correct about AAR having about 3 weeks give or take. That seems to be the skinny. hmmmmmmmm

[jgraz]

29. I just meant that Mike still seems kinda pissed off about the whole thing

I was just wondering if he was mixing in a bit of wishful thinking with his estimates.

[MzNov]

30. with good reason. But that doesn't make his facts or guesses

incorrect. He still has many friends at AAR, like Randi and Sam etc. Trust me, he might rant, but does not lie.

[jgraz]

33. Didn't say "lie"

It seems that nobody can know right now. And Mike has been known to use hyperbole to make a point. I'll listen again, but I wasn't clear on whether he was saying "they have exactly three weeks before the lights go out" or if he was making a more general statement about how fucked up things are over there.

ETA: Also might be wishful thinking on my part that Mike is dead wrong and Sam and Rachel and Randi will be on the air forever and take over the world.

[Pryderi]

32. Welp...there goes XM radio off my X-Mas wish list.

[Tarheel_Dem]

43. I am so hocked off because I ordered XM just for AAR....

Since the freepers are convinced that George Soros is behind AAR, I sure wish he'd come through. I need my daily fix.

[Canuckistanian]

35. The evening lineup used to be great

Randi, Sam Seder, Mike.... now, after Randi, there are the most inconsistent, boring shows. Rachel Maddow is OK, I guess, but not the same as Sam's fire and wit.

And this Ecotalk with Betsy Wetsherself is fine for it's content, but she has the most irritating monotoned voice.

The rest aren't even memorable.

[jgraz]

37. Rachel worked much better as a morning news show

It's just not the same at the end of the day.

[Pryderi]

39. Sirius has Thom Hartmann and Ed Schultz among others found here:

http://www.sirius.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Sirius/CachedPage&c=Channel&cid=1104779630493

[Canuckistanian]

46. I love Thom Hartmann - and he's on Sirius?

Way cool. I wonder if he's on the Canadian version. I'll have to check that out.

[sandyd921]

60. Unfortunately they only play the first hour

of his 3-hour live show, although I understand they play the whole show late nights (I'm in the EST zone) and weekends. The show that goes on after Thom's hour (Lynn Samuels) really sucks!

[JackBeck]

40. The original line-up was fantastic.

While I enjoy Rachel in the evening, I don't tune in as much as I used to when Sam and Jeanne were on. And fuck it after that. Now that Malloy is gone, I don't even set my XM to record at night. I'm sure they night crew does an excellent job, but it's just not the same.

[orleans]

44. the concept of air america was brilliant. i have listened since day

one.

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH MY AIR AMERICA "GEAR" (i have a great shirt!)

where are the two or three dems with money?

has someone asked soros for a loan?

what about streisand?

whoopi?

OPRAH! HELP!!!

(think i'll start my own thread on this topic)

[KharmaTrain]

45. Jones Radio To Pick Up The Slack

I don't know why I'm posting here and will regret that I am. First, I had posted weeks ago that I had heard from some very good sources that AAR was not going to make it out of Bankruptcy. Besides getting some real ugly PMs, it seemed few paid attention.

Jones Radio Network...the company that distributes the Ed Schultz Show looks to be the escape valve for some, if not all the Clear Channel Progressive stations. NovaM may be heard on some stations, they, just like AAR, do not have the financial resources or exsiting infrastructure, but hopefully have learned from AAR's mistakes and not try to over-expand.

I suspect Randi will find a new home...she's a survivor and probably could go back to West Palm or Miami where she is very well known and has a "ratings history" that should help her. I can't say about the others. The other person I see with a strong future in media is Rachael Maddow. I've seen her evolve into a very good host and would be a great fit for a Pacifica operation.

There are big changes coming to radio in the next couple years that will finally drag it into the digital age. The big story isn't the death of AAR but of big corporate radio. Clear Channel has already announced it will sell nearly 500 stations early next year and that could be just the beginning. If the Bain/Carlisle bailout fails, the entire company could be cannibalized. CBS isn't too far behind as they've announced in the past they, too want to sell their poorly performing stations (and they have many)...and the ripple effect will force some owners to sell and I suspect many stations off the air.

Good luck and thanks to all those who got AAR on the air and kept it going for as long as it did despite overwhelming odds. Just a very depressed radio economy took its toll, the network couldn't grow and was poorly marketed. Unless you heard directly about an AAR station, most places did little to promote their stations.

Sorry for the long post...I'm off on a DU vacation again (I know I shouldn't have posted this). All the flaming and lack of discussion is just too much for me.

Peace and good luck to DU...

[Armstead]

51. Stick around

Your posts are always informative.

Du requires a thick skin, as most of us have learned from time to time. Disagreement is part of the drill. Don't take the flames personally, and just consider the sources.

[Nikki Stone1]

54. Why did the radio market his the skids?

I don't anything about the industry and wonder what the upshot of all this is.

[Nick Fallon]

48. There is always Free Speach TV

nt

[Armstead]

52. I hope Nova can pick up the slack

[jpwhite]

56. that's why I keep my downloaded shows

I have a subscription to AAR, and I am keeping all of the shows that I download. 99% of the time I only download the Al Franken show. If indeed the network is going down, I want to keep the shows I have. I think this is like the first attempt of something good. Car companies try different things and sometimes the first attempt doesn't work. (ex: Toyota's minivan) The first one wasn't very good, but the second one and current one is. Maybe someone else will pick up the idea and continue the effort to have liberal talk radio.

James
[e-mail]

[LSK]

59. we need them to stay - they have a huge impact on our elections

All those radio stations are needed badly.